On a Race to Fluent Reading!
Growing Independence and Fluency Design
By Haley Hollis
Rationale: This lesson is important for improving reading, especially improving fluency. For students, fluency is about being able to decode words automatically with ease and if this is achieved students will be much better readers. They will read more quickly, the words they read will have meaning, and they will read smoothly. The main objective of this lesson is to help students become more fluent and this will be achieved by reading and rereading decodable words in connected texts. During this lesson the students will perform repeated readings to practice reading fluency by getting in pairs and doing one-minute reads.
-Timer or Stopwatch (for each pair of students)
-Class set of Fuzz and the Buzz (decodable text by Sheila Cushman) for each student
-Dry Erase Board
-Dry Erase Marker
-Assessment Worksheet: Fluency Checklist (one for each student) -attached
1. Begin the lesson by briefly reviewing the u = /u/ correspondence by showing students a memorable hand gesture and showing them an example word. Activate student knowledge by allowing them to brainstorm other words using the u = /u/ correspondence. Say: “We know that when we see the letter ‘u’ it makes the /u/ sound. It sounds like ‘uhh...’ (Put finger to chin as if confused.) Can you do that with me? Uhhh...very good! Write the word "bug" on a dry-erase board. Say: “Who can tell me what this says? That's right, it says "bug." This word has the /u/ sound in it. Can you hear it? Great! Can you tell me some more words that have the same sound in them?”Call on students individually and write additional words on the board as they say them.
fluent reading to students and explain it to them after explicit
I will read this sentence like a fluent reader would. "I want to
drive a fast blue car!" See, didn't that sound better than the
first time I read it? I think so too. I was being a fluent
reader because I read quickly, smoothly, and with expression! Allow
students to explain the differences they noticed in fluent and
anyone tell me how the sentence was different the first and second
times I read it? That's right, the first time was slow, and
I paused a lot between the words. It wasn't smooth
sounding. Do you think it sounded a little boring? Me
too. That was not fluent reading. Very good, the second
time was more expressive and exciting, and when I read it, it was fast
and smooth. That's how you read fluently! When you can read
this way, you will be able to understand and enjoy everything you read!”
5. Divide students into partners ( be careful how students are paired; no two struggling readers together) and give directions for partner one-minute readings. Hand out a copy of Fuzz and the Buzz to each student and a timer or stopwatch to each pair of students with a fluency checklist for each student. Say: “Take a minute to read the book silently to yourself so that you can get familiar with it……Now I’m going to tell you how we will do one minute reads. You and your partner will read the book 3 times a piece. I want you to use the stopwatch and time your partner for one minute while you listen to the read the book. At the end of the minute you will count how many words they read. You will have a piece of paper to record the results on. As soon as one partner has read 3 times you will switch partners and do the same thing.”
Model how to correctly use a stopwatch
Say: “Do you have any questions? Raise your hand if you need me and I will come help you! Don't forget your listening ears!”
During the activity, walk around the room to check that the stopwatches and Fluency Checklists are being used correctly and that everyone is following the directions to correctly complete the timed readings.
Fuzz and the Buzz. Decodable reader by Sheila Cushman. Illustrated by Patti Briles. Publisher: Educational Insights. Carson, C.A., 1990.
Murray, Bruce. "Developing Reading Fluency." http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/fluency.html
Adkins, Kerry. Growing Independence and Fluency Lesson Design. "A Fabulous Fluency Party!"
I noticed that my partner . . .
After second reading After third reading
_______________ _______________ Remembered more words
_______________ _______________ Read Faster
_______________ _______________ Read Smoother
_______________ _______________ Read with expression
One Minute Reading Sheet
Name:___________________ Date: _________________
1st Time: _________________________________
2nd Time _________________________________
3rd Time _________________________________